113-Year-Old Jersey Girl Named America's Oldest Living Resident
113-Year-Old Jersey Girl Named America's Oldest Resident
— -- A 113-year-old New Jersey woman has been named America's oldest living resident.
Adele Dunlap was born on December 12, 1902 in Newark, New Jersey. She became the record holder on July 8, the Gerontology Research Group confirmed to ABC News.
Adele is currently 113 years, 7 months and 1 week old.
"She is lovely," said Susan Dempster, activities director of the Country Arch Care Center in Pittstown, where Adele lives. "She's quiet, but will raise her hand when she needs to be heard. She attends church, entertainment and the word games activities. This week, we announced [the record title] at an event. She nodded and everyone clapped for her. It's really sinking in a little bit for her. She's our local celebrity now."
Adele was named the oldest person living in America the same day previous title holder Goldie Michelson died in her home of Worcester, Massachusetts at the age of 113 years and 335 days. Adele is number 10 on the list of World Living Supercentenarians, according to Robert D. Young, director of the GRG Supercentenarian Research and Database Division.
Young said there's an older living American named Marie-Josephine Gaudette who's 114. But since Gaudette resides abroad, that appropriately awards the title of oldest living United States resident to Adele.
Adele lived her life in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. She's the youngest of four children, having three older brothers, according to Susan Dempster.
Adele attended South Side High School in Newark and entered Newark State Normal School for teaching. She taught school for five years until having a family with late husband Earl Dunlap Sr. Earl Sr. died in the 1960's, Earl Dunlap Jr. told ABC News.
Adele and Earl Sr. had three children and Adele became a proud housewife who enjoying taking care of her kids and attending to a home.
Dempster said Adele enjoyed theater parties and luncheons with friends. Adele lived with Earl Jr. for 12 years before moving into the Country Arch Care Center when she was 99 years old.
Ever since Adele's 100th birthday, she's received a signed letter from the White House, Dempster said.
Earl Jr., 86, of Clinton, New Jersey, said his mother's title of oldest American came to a surprise to the family.
"We knew she was pretty old, but there are so many people that are just as old it seems," he said, with a laugh. "My mother doesn't speak much about it. She's almost completely deaf. She just goes along with it. Growing up, she was always there when I needed her."
Adele has seven grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, Earl Jr. confirmed.
At 116 years and 169 days old, Emma Martina Luigia Morano of Vercelli, Italy, is the oldest living person in the world, named by the Guinness Book of World Records.
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